Sanremo ended recently but as we have yet to see, Il Volo was once again treated badly.
This situation was monitored by Michele Monina, a music critic journalist, who is not part of the Sanremo press jury, but is widely listened to.
In the previous post I attached a video where Monina was having lunch with Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca and where he complimented them on the more pop turn that Il Volo is taking and complimented them a lot on their performance of Queen (I remind you that Monina loves rock more).
Well, the day after lunch Monina published LETTER 43 on the blog, a long consideration which I will now translate for you.
The exaggerated bullying against Il Volo, guilty only of knowing how to sing
Michele Monina 02/13/2024
You may like their music or not. But a new shitstorm has been unleashed on Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca by journalists, professionals and “left-wing” intelligentsia. Which really doesn’t forgive the trio for having a repertoire that looks to the past, exalting the Italian spirit even abroad. Now, among other things, an album of unreleased songs is also arriving. Leave these guys alone.
Nobody touches Il Volo. Yes maybe. It seems that the three boys are always the object of criticism from almost everyone, despite there being a constant tendency towards political correctness, towards creeping do-goodism which pushes most to put on pink unicorn glasses whenever someone bothers to criticize someone something else, perhaps even harshly. They, however, fall into a separate discussion, where no one talks about media pillorying, shitstorms, bullying. Many music journalists who crowded the Sanremo press room gave off a boorish show of booing when they finally saw them enter the top 10. Yet they hadn’t bothered to fail them in their report cards, even if we’re certainly not discussing the judgment of those who deal with music for work – or rather: for work they deal with music during the Holy Week of the Festival, one might say, given that then in the rest of the year many people talk and write about sewing or flowers and plants.
Moreover, let’s not forget, those of Volo on their previous passage to Sanremo had not only been met with boos but also stadium chants and dances, when instead of going on to win they had found themselves third, in 2019, after Mahmood and Ultimo. Despite this, the three had always remained impassive and professional, unlike their colleague from San Basilio. (refers to Ultimo who had instead responded in kind against the journalists)
(in this video the press room rejoices because Il Volo is third and therefore cannot be first, there are several journalists who say “shit” aimed at Il Volo)
The bizarre idea that reviving the Bel canto tradition is “right-wing”
In addition to the journalists, however, more or less well-known people also joined the chorus, there to mock the project of these three young singers who arrived at Sanremo 2024 to celebrate 15 years of their career. Criticisms came especially from the left, where evidently this bizarre idea persists that re-proposing the tradition of Bel canto is something attributable to the right: who knows what someone like Giovanna Marini thinks, who has sunk the roots of her work in tradition, and is certainly not never been pointed out as something other than itself. Returning to them: Piero Barone, born in 1993, Ignazio Boschetto, born in 1994 and Gianluca Ginoble, born in 1995, had met during the talent show Ti lascio una canzone, hosted by Antonella Clerici, and from there they set off to conquer the world, with the stage of the victory of Sanremo 2015, with Grande Amore, undoubtedly fundamental.
They bring music that is a hallmark of Italianness around the world
You may not like their music: it tends to look to the past, given that up to now they have never published an album of unreleased songs, preferring to direct their singing towards that vast and now consolidated repertoire which goes from Puccini to O sole mio, passing through Granada or Frank Sinatra classics. Personal tastes are all legitimate, let alone, but all that remains is to rage against three very young people who, until proven otherwise, not only are not doing anything wrong, but are actually continuing to bring around the world a music that is Italian figure, is something miserable, as well as extremely vile. Because launching criticism on social media, but also practicing a not too different form of bullying in the press, as if we were talking about something reprehensible, is an operation that leads to nothing interesting.
In the sense: it does not expand a judgment, especially if repeated by machine, it does not analyze or deepen a possible critical point of view; it becomes just a cutting comment, moreover given on those who are undoubtedly capable of singing, a fact which may well appear irrelevant, but which ultimately should be the basis of the profession of a singer.
In the trap era, those who know how to sing almost have to hide
Be careful, we are not here to contrast the three guys from Il Volo with those who use autotune or something like that – these are specious discussions that we will calmly leave to Luca Jurman I (music critic) and other wannabes – but rather to try to indicate how, precisely in a broad discussion that foresees the possibility of making music even for those who cannot play or sing (trap in this provides too many examples) escapes for what anomalous reason precisely those who know the basics of singing and practice them even with excellent results it should be vilified and attacked. It seems – God forgive us for the quote from General Vannacci – a world in reverse, where those who know how to do something that was once considered basic today almost have to hide, or keep the own secret art, because the world would go in another direction. Here too, excluding a priori that there could be multiple directions, given that music can be expressed with rigor and precision, as Il Volo evidently knows how to do and intends to continue to do, it seems that a sort of homologated single thought wants to decide the dish of the day, imposing the same dishes on everyone, to be honest, often quite bland.
Their first album of unreleased songs will soon be on the market
And let’s say, let’s get to today, that Il Volo has been working for over a year on a project that intends to move the trio towards the contemporary, certainly not abandoning the world from which the boys come: they are not self-harming. In doing so they spent months and months in close contact with a team of authors, who on their three different voices – different in texture, colour, timbre, all fundamental characteristics in singing – wrote unpublished songs, soon to be on the market in what will be their first real album. An operation that they had already tested on the last tour, where in addition to performing together on their great classics, that is, on the great classics of the Italian Bel Canto tradition, they expressed themselves individually, distinguishing themselves and in some way characterizing themselves as individuals, all with that rigor we were talking about before, the same rigor they put into interviews, but also in making themselves available for selfies or autographs with their audience.
Political ideas stuck on the three boys
It’s sad to see them targeted, exactly in the same way that it was sad to see Geolier booed at the Ariston when he won the evening of duets: he is even younger (23 years old) and to take it out on those who are young, even more so if to do so he keeps that distance due to mobile phone or computer screens, is in effect comparable to bullying. Then, obviously, the criticism is there, even on the new, more pop turn of Il Volo, but the tones should at least be in the category of good taste, and if desired, also common sense. Because the writer is used to giving rise to even ferocious criticism, but always with irony and never going personal, while here the point seems to be precisely the three of them, Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca, and any form of patriotism confused for something halfway road between a Putinian nationalism and something that could, if desired, be attributable to the ideologies of the Brothers of Italy or the League (these are two Italian political parties)
Ideas stuck on guys who, until proven otherwise, shouldn’t have anything to do with kids (in the sense: maybe they think that way, but it’s not by singing classics or referring to that tradition that they intend to convey messages, and in any case doing so even when they try moving towards something else is wrong in its own right).
In the words of Anna Tatangelo, “when the person is nothing, the offense is zero”
However, if you feed the controversy to the masses who have the opportunity to act undisturbed on social media, you end up offering a sad spectacle that makes you uncomfortable. Every day we accuse others of incorrect attitudes, we defend the indefensible by brandishing like clubs the right not to fall into a shitstorm or be pilloried by the media, and then too often we end up being the creators of these incorrect behaviors.
All for the sole fault of being successful abroad, or maybe even just making music that we don’t like. It would be nice to be able to apply to them to the words of Francesco De Gregori (Italian singer) – who we imagine is appreciated by that segment of the intelligentsia who loves to mock them – paraphrasing the ending of the refrain of La leverage footballistica del ‘68: “The boys will also do if they have narrow shoulders.” But in reality, lucky them, it seems that Il Volo is made up of three bold young men who have already gained broad shoulders by performing on stages all over the world. So let’s opt for the more popular “cantate che vi passa”, because it is really true that the words should be calibrated on the mouth of the person who pronounces them, or to put it with the divine Anna Tatangelo, (Italian singer) “when the person is nothing the offense is zero.”
What can I say, he really “pulled the ear” of his fellow journalists, but let me explain a little about who Monina is.
Let me start by saying that Monina, at the beginning of 2015 but in particular in 2016, was a great detractor of Il Volo, writing very unflattering articles about them.
Then Il Volo presented itself again in Sanremo in 2019 and even then Monina was not accredited in the press room but, like this year, interviewed the singers separately but always within Sanremo.
So it was that in 2019 Monina met Piero, Ignazio and GIanluca for an interview that lasted a long time and in which our boys spoke heart-to-heart with Monina, describing the difficulties they encountered, talking about their musical studies and performing a strong musical culture, in particular from Gianluca, Monina also noting that they were polite people, they were not at all unpleasant or arrogant, and therefore Monina had a very good impression of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, so much so that from then on he changed his opinion.
Since then Monina has had the opportunity to write little about Il Volo, but shortly before Sanremo this year he mentioned them in a short article where he warned his colleagues journalists not to make that stupid and rude scene in the press room of 2019, but that if they had something to say to them, to have the courage to say it to their faces.
Now, this new long article seemed to me to be truly heartfelt in defense of Il Volo and I dare say that it is the only voice that has been raised in defense of Il Volo, because believe me, some journalists even in their lists of the various singers in Sanremo, they don’t even mention Il Volo, as if they hadn’t been part of the festival, so much so that I thought they were “the unnamed”.
As you understood by reading, Monina also tries to give a political explanation.
Honestly, I have never thought about this, also because music must be above political ideas, but if Monina writes this, there has certainly been some stance taken by journalists with certain political ideas.
Even more so, I am increasingly of the opinion that journalists should not vote in Sanremo.
Another journalist, Antonella Esposito, published Monina’s article on her page, adding her opinion.
Here it is.
I would like to respond publicly to the many questions I have received privately regarding the article published by Michele Monina. I will try to be impartial, without being “too” biased. (she loves Il Volo)
I won’t talk about politics and this is the important assumption from which I would like to start and I don’t think the political orientation of my colleague is even important. I found your article on bullying, because that’s what it’s about, courageous and also honest. Only fools do not change their minds and, net of past judgments – or worse – prejudices, it seems to me to be a lucid confession from someone who has known the artists and evaluated their technical skills, experience and education.
The conversion, if we want to call it that, must have started from the face-to-face meeting during a lunch at Il Villaggio Del Festival.
A chat beyond the permitted television times which allowed Monina and Il Volo to make a quick analysis of the current recording situation. It was agreed that music is hitting rock bottom, in terms of production, a slave to autotune, up-tempo and catchphrases. It’s no longer the time for songs and reasoned lyrics, but that’s fine too, after all, the market creates the logic of the market and in the end we end up singing songs that are all the same and – maybe we like them? – and we risk forgetting after a few months. Could educating about musical culture make a difference, since many young people don’t know who Prince is and don’t even know Michael Jackson? This is Gianluca’s proposal, but it is also another story and it is not yet the historical moment to address it. In the meantime, I would enjoy the opinion of an expert who has addressed an uncomfortable topic that is still talked about too little.
On Antonella Esposito’s page it was possible to comment and so I did and here is my comment:
I fully agree with what you pointed out and, as you wrote, Monina’s article was certainly courageous, but this is the intelligence of people who, if at first they had a wrong vision, do not continue to follow the herd, but they evaluate with their own knowledge the topic they write about, in this case Il Volo. In recent days I have read assessments and comments that go beyond criticism but are only designed to offend and this is ridiculous but also a sign of great degradation and rudeness, shame on some people.
Patrizia Ciava, who we know well here, also published Monina’s article on her page, with this comment:
“All-out defense of Il Volo by Monina who once called them “bimbiminchia” (a word that means childish and with a limited quotient), struck on the road to Sanremo, thanks to the fateful meeting with the boys in 2019. 😉 (She means that the 2019 meeting struck Monina, like a miracle, and made him change his mind about Il Volo)
Also in this case you could comment and my comment was this: “And thank goodness there are those who have the courage to admit they were wrong.”
And do you remember Sunday, when Il Volo was a guest at Mara Venier and there were also journalists who couldn’t ask any questions?
At the end of the Il Volo moment, Ignazio said to journalists: “Singers sing, not scream.”
Some newspapers picked up on this moment saying that Ignazio had said this against Lino Banfi, an elderly actor who was sitting near the journalists, but it’s not true!!!! He was referring to Andrea Laffranchi, a journalist who always writes very badly about Il Volo, in fact here is his report card from Sanremo and you will understand why Ignazio said so.
IL VOLO rating 5.
Il Volo or sung scream? They may have many fans in the world, but we take ourselves out of the club.
Maybe I bored you with this long post, but it was right that you too, on the other side of the ocean, knew exactly how the situation is here and how the press behaves towards Il Volo.
So you might think, but then why did Il Volo participate in Sanremo with these conditions?
As I told you, there was great courage on their part, but the media exposure that Sanremo offers is priceless and I believe that their victory was to reach an audience that otherwise would not have listened to them. Under the video of WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER there are many comments from young Italian males (before there were very few and only to insult) who have changed their minds about them, I’ll transcribe some of them:
@nicbellic9794 The absurd thing is that this cover will probably go around the world, especially in the UK and USA, but here in Italy they didn’t even reach the Top 5. The same goes for Santi Francesi who brought a legend like Skin to Sanremo and they too out of the Top 5. Now Italians want ballet music on TikTok, and covers like these are “boring” in their words.
@giankyclari1309 Italy doesn’t deserve these 3 phenomena, if it then puts other people in first position, and not for racist reasons, but because the 3 of them are worth more.
Singing the Queen song was an act of courage, fully satisfied by those who adored and adore Queen and Freddy.
@lorenzovecchiotti4668 Famous in every corner of the world, they sing magnificently, they really know music and not with a computer and autotune… Italy doesn’t deserve them
@pzunino59 Gives goosebumps, well done for those who loved Queen it was an absolutely unmissable moment. The world envies them and we don’t know how to appreciate them.
@thejontube1504 The only ones who can afford to pay homage to Freddy Mercury..
Il Volo at least deserve the victory with their piece MASTERPIECE, given that they would have deserved to win with this splendid interpretation of Queen!!!
No less important is Stef Burns’ guitar!!! Come on!!!!
@francescoplanb3567 I’m not a fan of theirs but this year I’m really appreciating them, they brought a great song and this cover is really well done, frankly I’m outraged that so much skill is so blatantly ignored!
@lauradesiere7471 I’m a rock “fanatic” and Volo isn’t my thing…usually, but the combination of Vasco’s legendary guitarist and their sublime voices made me want to film it. Touching sacred monsters like Queen and doing the song badly would have been a crime…instead you honored the song. Well done, I will buy your first album of unreleased songs. Damn, what rumors.
@MusicFed I’m not a fan of theirs but this performance was incredible. Breathtaking. Burns perfect solos and with the usual taste and style. The boys sang like a god and “with intention”, reaching all the difficult notes.
…………………and I could go on like this……..this is definitely the best victory of Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca!! 🥰👏👏👏
And that’s all for now, but last night Il Volo was on Radio Italia, and so in the next article there will be them on Radio Italia and other serene and cheerful moments.
Of course I’m waiting for your comments on the “bullying” against Il Volo, and sorry if I got on your nerves reading this.
Here I am with the second part of this beautiful interview.
I assure you that you will not be bored.
Enjoy the reading!!
MARA = Come back here. (long applause) You are guys, but you have a great responsibility, because you have immense talent …
GIAN = With this song we also had the opportunity to show the beauties of our country with the Frasassi Caves.
MARA = Yes, there was the video.
GIAN = I also want to say this thing, because for us it was a great honor, to be able to work with maestro Vittorio Storaro, who is a “cinematographer” and not a “director of photography”, which is a small detail.
MARA = What’s the difference, for those who don’t know?
GIAN = There is a big difference. In America they say cinematographer …
MARA = …. three Oscars, he made all the films of Bertolucci (another Italian director who won the Oscar for The Last Emperor), Vittorio Storaro …
GIAN = … exactly three Oscars …. because every time it is a life lesson, not only artistic, but his wisdom has given us wonderful moments …
MARA = Sorry if I interrupt you, Gianluca, but I have a backstage video and I would like to send it and then you all can comment on it.
Let’s watch it together.
(the video of the Frasassi Caves backstage starts)
In the video: Gianluca’s voice = The melodies of the great master Ennio Morricone are the protagonists in this wonderful setting that are the Frasassi Caves.
Ignazio’s voice = Sharing this fantastic place also with maestro Vittorio Storaro was a great emotion. (applause)
MARA = It is so beautiful that it seems unreal, it seems magical.
PIERO = Have you ever been there?
MARA = No, never been.
PIERO = Look, time stops there.
MARA = But where is this place, exactly?
GIAN = Near Genga, in the Marche region.
MARA = Ah, in the Marche.
GIAN = Yes, this place is one hour from my house, I’m near Roseto degli Abruzzi.
MARA = So did you know this place?
GIAN = Yes, I had already been there, because schools often organize trips with pupils to make excursions.
MARA = It’s a magical place, I want to go there.
PIERO = We had the privilege of having the caves just for us and Vittorio Storaro, to shoot the video.
MARA = Illuminated by Vittorio Storaro.
GIAN = Think about the power of Bel Canto, associated with a wonderful place, it is the perfect soundtrack, but then it allows us to join idols, like Vittorio Storaro, or as before, you saw us joking with Woody Allen, it is the prestige of Bel Canto. As you know it all started with Pavarotti, then with Bocelli, so we, humbly, always try to follow in their footsteps, to bring this kind of music higher and higher.
IGNAZIO = I’ll tell you an anecdote. In the caves, we were collaborating with the master Storaro, and he was still trying to get an extra emotion out of us. So when there were our solos, he would say to Piero: “Piero concentrate you, try not to think about anything, as if there were no one, the caves, the emotion …”
GIAN = He (Storaro)was also a director on that occasion, just for us.
IGNAZIO = …. “let the emotion out” …. ok, Piero, does his (solo), Gian does his, it’s up to me and I ask: “Give me some more advice, master …”
MARA = You are giving HIM to the master. (in Italy it is a sign of respect)
IGNAZIO = Absolutely … and he tells me: “Ignazio, forget where you are, it’s just you, the camera and nothing else around.” I followed his advice.
PIERO = He added “…and think of a person dear to you ….”
MARA = Think of a person dear to you?
IGNAZIO = Yes. The playback of the song was over and I cried and I cried for 15 minutes …
PIERO = He burst into tears.
MARA = Who were you thinking of?
IGNAZIO = Your Love is a song that means a lot to us, also because we performed in Sanremo three days after my father’s death, so it means a lot to us.
MARA = The memory!
IGNAZIO = By now, I associate that song with that moment and therefore I was in tears for 15 minutes.
GIAN = The whole album is dedicated to Vito ….
PIERO = … to Ignazio’s father.
On this occasion Ignazio proved to be a great man, because three days before our performance in Sanremo, we received this terrible news by phone, and we all expected a NO, from Ignazio, we thought we would stay at home. Instead he, as a great professional, arrived in Sanremo, sang, did his duty. He has my highest esteem. ❤(appaluse)
MARA = Who knows how you were inside, love.
IGNAZIO = I think that the greatest happiness of a parent is to see their children happy.
GIAN = There was a backstage part that I would like to tell and that moved us all.
During the rehearsals Fiorello (co-host of Sanremo), approached Ignazio and hugged him for three minutes, they hugged tightly, I’m telling you, because unfortunately he also experienced the same situation ….. and by the way we say goodbye to the great Fiorello, hello Fiore !!
MARA = (turning to Ignazio) Were you far away, when your dad passed?
IGNAZIO = I was in Bologna, we were, there. Before, we talked about the pandemic, and the lockdown, there are positive sides, I was lucky enough to spend a year and a half with my whole family, and that’s what we hope all the young people, all the boys of our age, have done – have the opportunity to spend time with their families, and to understand how important their support is.
MARA = I think so.
PIERO = But in these years…. we have been together for 13 years …
IGNAZIO = We are together, that is, we work together ….
MARA = But there would be nothing wrong, Ignazio ... (being together can be meant sentimentally)
PIERO = No, no, we are together
IGNAZIO = Of bad, nothing, but Piero, it’s not that I like him so much. 😁
MARA = Are the two of them engaged? (Piero and Gianluca). About you (Ignazio) we learned that you have a girlfriend in Brazil …
GIAN = The two of them who ??
MARA = Not the two of you together, although there would be nothing wrong with that.
GIAN = No but imagine, there would be nothing wrong …
MARA = Do you, your fiancée, have it?
GIAN = Yes, yes, I do.
MARA = You have her! And you Piero?
PIERO = No, I …
GIAN = Piero no.
MARA = Is he single?
GIAN = Piero is single, the only single, that’s right.
MARA = He is in love with Bellucci, he is waiting for Bellucci.
IGNAZIO = Morricone was one of the most beautiful projects we have ever thought …
MARA = Do you want to change the subject?
IGNAZIO = Is it understood ?? 😁
MARA = You are smart, eh !!! But when you can, with aunt !!! (she means that the aunt, that is Mara, discovers the smart ones)
IGNAZIO = (He gets up and sings to Mara, hugging her) “I’ll take you and I’ll take you away.” (applause)
MARA = Come on, another film I loved is Sacco and Vanzetti, directed by the great Giuliano Montaldo, starring Riccardo Cucciolla and GianMaria Volontè.
PIERO = For this piece, we studied a lot, because we didn’t know so many things ….
MARA = Wonderful movie.
PIERO = The story is truly poignant, because unfortunately there is injustice.
MARA = Exactly. Great movie.
GIAN = We are here, eh !!
PIERO = I was telling her about Sacco and Vanzetti …
IGNAZIO = We felt a little lonely.
MARA = Here he is (Piero), I brought him to you.
PIERO = This song is called: HERE’S TO YOU. (applause, here’s to you begins)
(applause and standing ovation at the end)
MARA = Well, you wonderful ones! I just want to say that this is an important film, an important theme, it is the story of two Italians, two emigrants who were unjustly condemned, and we at this moment want to greet all our compatriots who cannot be here.
I + P = Absolutely.
GIAN = And it is also nice to remember that soon we will be on tour, from March in the United States, we start in RCMH on March 4th, and then we will reach many people who have been waiting for us for two years since the last tour that unfortunately we had to stop due to the Covid.
MARA = So you will reach our compatriots, and not only !! But then I will also say all the dates.
Let’s move on because there is another beautiful song.
PIERO = There are many (dates)
MARA = Yes, a lot.
PIERO = More than 100 concerts in six months.
MARA = But when are you leaving?
PIERO = March 4th …
MARA = And are you coming back?
PIERO = In December
MARA = Next year (2022)
PIERO = Yes, and we will sing in Italy, we will do concerts in the summer and concerts in the winter.
MARA = How long are you away?
PIERO = From March to December no stop, only 7-8 days in July
MARA = Are you going back to Italy?
PIERO = Yes, at home.
MARA = Love !!
GIAN = At least, a little sun, a tan, otherwise we will be pale, tired, with travel …..
MARA = Let’s go on, now they make you listen to another beautiful song, music ….
PIERO = What is it?
MARA = SE TELEFONANDO
IGNAZIO = Another of my favorites.
MARA = I like it a lot too.
PIERO = Do you know how it was born?
MARA = Maurizio Costanzo (he wrote the words)
PIERO = Yes, but Ennio Morricone was at the post office paying a fine, a bill, I don’t know what it was, he heard the sound of the ambulance, the siren of the ambulance “ta-ta …. se telefonando” and from there makes you understand the genius of the master Morricone.
MARA = What a beautiful song.
PIERO = Magnificent.
MARA = Why him, great musician, great author, but then this is a song that everyone can sing, in truth.
IGNAZIO = Absolutely. But then the genius of the master Morricone was that he was inspired by silence, for him silence in his works was fundamental …
PIERO = Determinant
IGNAZIO = I like to compose, and sometimes, removing is more difficult than adding.
MARA = It’s true.
IGNAZIO = The essential is something difficult to achieve. It can only be reached by those who are geniuses, like the maestro Morricone.
MARA = How wise have you become, aunt’s love. (she hugs Ignazio)
IGNAZIO = Mamma mia, I’m getting emotional!
MARA = Come on, come on, come on, SE TELEFONANDO, Il Volo!! (starts Se Telefonando)
(applause and standing ovation at the end)
MARA = IL Volo, on Domenica IN, which makes us spend the wonderful Boxing Day !!
Good, good guys, good, good guys (she applauds the guys).
Now I’m sending something with you, from here, from this position. Last year was December 25, 2020, exactly one year ago, and where were you? In St. Peter’s Square ..
P + G + I = Yes, St. Peter’s Square.
MARA = With ???
PIERO = Nobody, there was nobody. Ours is a dream job, we are dreamers and we saw that surreal situation, lockdown, at home at ten, and we wanted to wish the whole country a Merry Christmas from there. We got organized, with the director of RAI1.
MARA = Stefano Coletta.
IGNAZIO = Let us wish him well for Santo Stefano.
G + P + I + M = Greetings director !!
PIERO = And so from there, we made these four songs, to wish a Merry Christmas, with St. Peter’s Square completely empty.
MARA = Let’s see it then. (start the video of Merry Christmas from San Pietro 2020)
In the video: Gian = On this very special day, in which, even if we are close, we are forced to stay away, we wanted to find a way to wish you a Merry Christmas.
Ignazio = With music, in this extraordinary square.
PIERO = The hope is that Christmas, with its magic, can bring a smile to your homes, and warm your hearts.
MARA = How beautiful !! It’s beautiful, I think you have performed everywhere, but I think this was an emotion …… (addressed to Piero) at one in the morning did you tell me?
IGNAZIO = In fact there was still a curfew, so thanks to the Municipality of Rome, and the Vatican who gave us permission to be able to register it. So as not to create a crowd, we did it after curfew, we finished at 1am.
I want take this opportunity to reiterate that the mind that thinks these things is Michele Torpedine, who has all these fantastic ideas.
MARA = That we say hello to Michele (she blows a kiss), where is Michele? It should be around here!
PIERO = Do you think that Luciano Pavarotti called him (Torpedine) Great Boss, and he too (Ignazio), jokingly also called him Great Boss.
I’ve never done, it but I told him: “The day you make us sing in front of Pope Francis, I’ll call you Big Boss”, and now I have to!
GIAN = Behind every singer, there are people who allow them to be able to fully express their art, surely he is the person …..
PIERO = Can you turn the camera? He is there, behind …(Michele is nearby)
MARA = No look, let’s do one thing: “Come here, Michele, we’re talking about you” (applause)
PIERO = Great Michele.
MARA = (drags Torpedine on stage). Sorry, they were talking about you.
MT = You know that these things embarrass me, I’m not used to it.
MARA = Come on. Listen, we are almost at the end of this beautiful segment, I don’t know how to thank you.
How do you handle these boys, Torpedine?
MT = How do you manage three dynamites like this, they go it alone, just say yes or no to things.
MARA = Now you all go, go around the world for months …
MT = Around the world, we hope that everything goes well with Covid.
MARA = We hope, we hope so.
IGNAZIO = We thought we would leave you with a Christmas song, since they told us that Christmas songs are sung until the Epiphany.
MARA = Come on, the witch is here. (herself)
PIERO = White Christmas.
MARA = White Christmas, Il Volo, and I take Michele away. (White Christmas song begins)
Thanks guys, (applause), thanks, thanks. Happy New Year!
IGNAZIO = We want to thank you.
MARA = Thanks to you.
IGNAZIO = We wanted to congratulate you for the new year.
PIERO = We never had the opportunity to spend all this time together, you are really human !!
GIAN = Thanks for believing in us.
MARA = You gave me a great gift, guys.
IGNAZIO = And you gave us a great gift, because talking about each other, is not always easy.
GIAN = Best wishes to you too who are following us, hoping that it will be a 2022 of normality.
IGNAZIO = We wish you to collect all the most beautiful, unthinkable and imaginary fruits, because “nothing is impossible”.
MARA = And it’s true !!
GIAN = He is also international, him.
PIERO = Only optimism !!
MARA = Come on guys, but see you, you go around the world …
PIERO = See you in concert in Italy …
MARA = At the Arena ??
PIERO = In June at the Verona Arena and Taormina …
MARA = And so, see you in March. They go and then they come back: Il Volo !!!
I have no words after this beautiful interview, it was long, but not boring at all.
I believe that when our young men open their hearts, we only know of good feelings.
This is also what we like about them, their way of being, unites us and brings us closer and closer to their human side, they are not only excellent artists, there is much more.
On November 17, Il Volo was a guest on Radio Italia, only Italian music, for the promotion of their latest CD.
The event was led by Mauro Marino and Manola Moslehi. It was a great interview and Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca also sang two songs live.
In November two years ago, I was able to go to Radio Italia and it was wonderful. Unfortunately this year, due to COVID restrictions and also the afternoon hours, I was unable to go, too bad.
Here is the video and its translation.
Please click on the photo to view the video.
MAURO = Here we are in the Reward Music Play, complete with an audience, welcome back, well arrived, purely female audience, I must say.
MANOLA = Of course, also because today’s guests are three beautiful guys, so even the eye wants its part.
MAURO = Exactly, and for the eye, we also greet the friends who follow us on Radio Italia TV, Manola Moslehi, Mauro Marino, and then let’s call them, we are standing here on stage, because in front of these microphones, soon, yes, will perform live, the three guys from:
MANOLA = IL VOLO !! (applause, enter Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca).
MAURO = Here they are, take a seat, please, please. You can sit down.
Manola ran away and I don’t know why.
I + P + G = Hi, hi.
MAURO = When you are ready ….. here they are: IL VOLO (Manola returns to the stage)
MANOLA = I thought they sang right away, do you understand? I didn’t want to waste time.
MAURO = Are you ready?
IGNAZIO = Very ready.
PIERO = But we haven’t warmed up our voices.
MAURO = Try to do it now.
PIERO = How do we do it? Let’s start like this?
MANOLA = Come on, come and sing.
GIAN = We are yours today …..
MANOLA = Sing, sing ….
MAURO = It’s just that you don’t have microphones (the microphones in front of the boys are just for singing), it’s just for that, then you tell us everything when we get off here in front.
PIERO = Can you come near here? ….
MAURO = I can come, but I can’t give you my microphone, you know the rules (this are the new rules for COVID the microphone is personal and must be disinfected before being used by another).
MANOLA = Piero has to ask for things …
MAURO = Tell me, what is it I have to do, tell me.
PIERO = Are we on live?
MAURO = We are on live, yes, yes.
PIERO = Ah,on live without warming our voice, beautiful.
MANOLA= But no, go , go live!!
GIAN = We greet all those who look at us with their mobile phones from home !!
MAURO = I know what you will do SE TELEFONANDO, right? You let us listen to it and then we talk about it. Il Volo on Radio Italia.
(starts SE TELEFONANDO live)
MANOLA = Live on Radio Italia only Italian music, Il Volo, strictly live !! Wonderful guys.
MAURO = Thanks guys. So, we wanted to specify that they sang from the vivo, you already said it …
MANOLA = Yes, yes.
MAURO = … and they haven’t even warmed up their voices, so now guys, you are machines that go automatically …
MANOLA = Think if they had warmed up their voices …
MAURO = Great, thanks guys !! Here are the microphones, perfect and I sit down too, voila!
MANOLA = (To the audience) Did you like them?
YES!!
IGNAZIO = Here we are.
MAURO = So, there is a new album, dedicated to the great maestro Ennio Morricone, besides you have just sung this song, everyone knows that the song (the text) was also written by Maurizio Costanzo (great Italian television entertainer) and the music, is also by Ennio Morricone, we wanted to remember this because it is with this song that you opened today’s appointment.
IGNAZIO = You know how this song was born, don’t you?
MAURO = I know the story, but you tell it.
IGNAZIO = No, no, Piero tells it. 😁
MAURO = Come on Piero.
PIERO = When the idea of dedicating an entire album to Maestro Morricone, and the project was born, started for us, an extremely complex course of study, because when we entered the world of Ennio Morricone, on tiptoe, we discovered that he had written nearly 500 melodies.
IGNAZIO = More than 500 compositions.
PIERO = Not only soundtracks, we discovered that he made the arrangement of IL MONDO and also of SE TELEFONANDO.
IGNAZIO = ABBRONZATISSIMA (Ignazio mentions a very famous Italian song from the 60s)
MAURO= Also!
MANOLA = Also, it’s true! (she refers that even Abbronzatissima was set to music by Morricone)
PIERO = Lots of songs. Since we had the support of the entire family of Ennio Morricone, including his son Andrea Morricone, he told us several anecdotes, including the birth of SE TELEFONANDO. His father was queuing at the post office, to pay the electricity bill, and he hears the ambulance and the sirens of the ambulance “ta-na-na”, is born: SE TELEFONANDO.
MANOLA = What a genius though, it couldn’t be otherwise. How was your first meeting with him?
IGNAZIO = It was in 2011, because in our first album there was a song, it was a medley between Once Upon a Time in America and Malena: E PIÙ TI PENSO. So, he (Morricone) was recording, working in the studio at that time, and we met there and then in 2011 we collaborated, we sang E PIÙ’ TI PENSO in Piazza del Popolo directed by him and so it was nice. There is also the anecdote that we always tell, that Gianluca gives a YOU to the master in front of the orchestra and everyone OH OH, and he says: “Don’t worry, kid, I’ll take care of it.” He was a man of few words, he showed little, but a lot.
Then, unfortunately we had little time and opportunity to spend time together and get to know him more, but it would have been really interesting and beautiful.
MAURO = While you were talking and singing before, we looked at you, out here, and we said: “We saw these three who were kids, now you are men, now you are men.”
PIERO = It’s the beard that makes the difference
GIAN = Three years ago we were 24, in three years we are 30.
MAURO = Perfect.
GIAN = The 30th begins to approach.
PIERO = Sorry, if we had 24, how do we get 30? Where did you go to school??
GIAN = Oh yes, in three years we will be 30, we are no longer children.
MAURO = But it’s nice to see this transformation, from boys to young men.
IGNAZIO = This transformation from ugly (to Piero) to beautiful ….
MANOLA = So, in reality, it sounds strange to say to three still very young people, that you have 12 years of career behind you, one is at least impressed, I mean.
PIERO = You know that we, the pre-COVID, just before the COVID were celebrating 10 years of career with a world tour. On March 11, we suspended the tour to suddenly return to Italy, and we will be back on tour exactly after two years, so it’s a 12-year career, but two years homebound as if time had stopped.
MAURO = In stand by.
IGNAZIO = A little like those birthdays that last a week, we the ten-year that lasts two years.
MANOLA = So, we have an incredible event in Piazza Duomo (Milan) it was 2018, you were very tanned, you were, but you are still beautiful, I wanted to know from you, looking at that image there, with that crowded square, what a feeling you have on.
IGNAZIO = I was hideous.
MANOLA = That’s not true!
PIERO = But it’s strange, it’s a strong feeling to see the audience, we’ve been missing that feeling for a while.
Now we are restarting with the tour, with the events, it is a slow, uphill process, but soon we will return to that feeling of serenity that we saw a little while ago.
MAURO = We all wish it a little, we said it before while we were waiting for you, together with the friends who are here (audience), there are not many, because you have to keep your distance, but see people live, meet people, for those who do yours craft, it is crucial I guess, especially for you.
You were talking about tours, then we will talk together about the tour, which will start in March, meanwhile, here they are launching the pens ….
MANOLA = The lady from the audience threw a pen …
GIAN = But it’s Hermione Granger’s magic wand (Harry Potter’s little witch)
PIERO = (he took the pen and this one has a big fake diamond on the end) Oh my, it looks like Queen Elizabeth’s pen.
MANOLA = We explain to friends who listen to us on the radio, that a lady from the audience threw them a very discreet pen, with a diamond ….
IGNAZIO = (Ignazio took the pen in his hand) Madam, is this diamond real? Ah, is that true? (he puts the pen with the diamond in his pocket)😁😁
MAURO = The pen is gone …😁
IGNAZIO = Another pen, thanks.😁
MAURO = Let’s go back to the album, because rightly I saw that, looking at the cover, the friends who follow us can see the image here in the background of the stage, (meanwhile Piero is unwrapping the vinyl record), it reminds us a little of Sergio Leone’s films obviously (director of many westerns with Morricone’s music).
GIAN = But it was totally inspired by that world there. Shooting that world from “Sergio Leone” and those Morricone’s music, is a return to the past that is eternal, that will never die. The vintage taste that really takes everyone, especially the generations who lived through those times, but also young people, who maybe discover something they have never heard or seen.
MAURO = Indeed, she is very beautiful and this (the vinyl record that Piero is discarding) I will tell you immediately, I will steal this, tell Torpedine, where he is around here: “Torpedine, this is for me, thank you “, 😉 your producer.
So 14 songs, you said before that Morricone composed more than 500 songs etc., how did you choose these 14?
PIERO = This was the most difficult phase, choosing the songs, because there are so many. It is clear that we have chosen the most famous ones, those to which we are most connected, for example personally a song that I have always loved, is the one taken from the film NUOVO CINEMA PARADISO, “SE” (meanwhile Piero signs the vinyl record.)
I am linked to that film because you know, it is about this Sicilian child who goes to Rome, to chase his dream, so when I sing it I feel that strong emotion.
Then, together with Andrea Morricone and our producers, who are Swedish, also very knowledgeable about Morricone’s repertoire, we finally found a meeting and this 14-track setlist was born.
MANOLA = Furthermore, this new album was preceded by a concert at the Verona Arena, and directed by the son of Maestro Morricone, Andrea, also an incredible experience.
IGNAZIO = Yes, it also went on the air (the concert) a few days ago, on November 10th for Maestro Morricone’s birthday. It was a great experience, because we were finally back in concert after almost two years in front of an audience, it was the first concert in front of an audience and certainly singing all those melodies, many of which tell true stories, such as Here’s to you, which is one of my favorite songs, which talks about the story of Sacco and Vanzetti and a huge injustice. So it was exciting, both for the songs sung and for the situation in which we found ourselves, after a year and a half, to go back to the concert in front of people, we were also preparing the album, which is now out, so it was a lot nice.
MANOLA = We were talking about your 12-year career before, but there is a moment in your career, even at an international level, that you remember with more affection ….
IGNAZIO = When we met you (laughter)😁😁
MANOLA = I wanted to know this ☺….. I thank you infinitely …. and the second important moment ????
GIAN = When we saw you again (laughter)😁😁
MANOLA = For me the interview can be concluded here !! Thanks.☺
MAURO = (to Piero) And what’s yours?
PIERO = Everyone has their indelible moment, personally when we sang in front of Pope Francis in Panama, during the World Youth Day, that was something unforgettable.
MAURO = There is no Manola to keep!😉
MANOLA = Compared to the Pope, I withdraw !!😁
(starts the live of the song SE…..applause)
MANOLA = It is strange to enter at the end of this song, because it seems to disturb me, Il Volo on Radio Italia only Italian music, strictly live, we specify it, because you look like a record, guys, it’s incredible !!
MAURO = Really good.
GIAN = Thanks!
MANOLA = Well done, well done, well done
MAURO = But, among the 14 songs on the album ….
GIAN = This is my favorite ..
MAURO = His too though (by Piero)
GIAN = …. especially for the text, not only for the melody, because this was written by Andrea Morricone, the son of the master, the film (the music) was written by Andrea, but then the text is wonderful, tells a beautiful love story.
MAURO = Exactly.
IGNAZIO = What I often think is that it is totally different from everything there is today, from all the fashion music, which we listen to today, but I think that these melodies are a little like pizza for Italians, that is they are part of our culture, and we must be really proud of them, because the maestro Morricone has spread great emotions to the whole world with his soundtracks to all the greatest films.
GIAN = I imagine that tomorrow we will read in all the newspapers “Morricone is like pizza” ….😑
MANOLA = Yes, but it’s a nice compliment though.
PIERO = I understand what Ignazio means, we want to explain and clarify the title of this project, of this album, Il Volo sings Morricone. Morricone is not a man whose work is celebrated, Morricone is a genre apart, he has created a completely different genre, and is an eternal genre, which will never die.
MAURO = Indeed, the comparison is correct, it is right.
IGNAZIO = It is part of our culture.
MAURO = It is right and then you are the only ones to bring the Italian Bel Canto around the world, and therefore it was right to think of an album of this genre, with the music of the maestro Ennio Morricone, so congratulations for the idea.
What I wanted to ask you, what was the hardest song to sing, among these 14?
PIERO = Maybe “Amalia por amor”, because it is in Portuguese.
IGNAZIO = No, I think that one of the most difficult has always been “E più ti penso”, yes!
PIERO = Even “Metti una sera a cena”, it was difficult …
MANOLA = Gianluca what do you think?
GIAN = I have to tell you that for them (Piero and Ignazio), it was all particularly difficult … (laughter)😁😁, for me a little less …. no, I’m kidding!
IGNAZIO = He faced everything with high chest !!
GIAN = But I must say that it is not only the acute, the high note, it is a matter of interpretation…
MAURO = Bravo!
GIAN = …. they are very difficult melodies, which move away from “Nessun Dorma” or from songs where there is a need for vocal power, without interpretation these songs cannot be sung.
IGNAZIO = For example there is “Here’s to You”, it is a song that we expressly wanted to sing it in a much lower key than what we could have done, because in any case the songs, especially these songs, as Gianluca says, need of a great interpretation and we worked hard on it, in fact, we sang, re-sung and re-sung this song in the studio to find the perfect emotion and interpretation.
GIAN = Then if you live it in first person, as for example in the song SE of Nuovo Cinema Paradiso ….. even better
PIERO = We understand it, that you are in love, the text speaks of love, we understand it !!!😁
MANOLA = It seems to me a beautiful thing.!
GIAN = It is beautiful indeed …😘
IGNAZIO = I understand, but he is becoming a little like Abruzzo, in everything he puts Abruzzo in the middle !! (laughs)😁
MANOLA = Today it is like this, today Gianluca is in the middle (she mean that Gian is made fun of by Piero and Ignazio)
PIERO = When he breaks up, he’ll sing “And the more I think of you” (laughter)
MANOLA = But why should he leave?
MAURO = Later we hope …
MANOLA = But as late as possible! Since these are the last minutes we spend together, let’s talk about the 2022 tour right away. The orchestra from live and your voices that will somehow blend with this incredible orchestra. You will also leave for the US.
PIERO = March 3, from the US, March – April and then the rest of the world.
We would like to remind you that we will sing in Italy in two different periods: summer and autumn.
In the autumn we will do the sports halls and soon we will publish the dates.
MANOLA = Are you excited?
IGNAZIO = A lot
MANOLA = Meet the live audience again …
IGNAZIO = We can’t wait, but we really can’t wait, because we always say that concerts are the maximum expression of an artist, where you can feel really free, because yes, the interviews where you tell about yourself are beautiful, but on stage you can express everything and have that adrenaline, and it’s very different from doing interviews.
PIERO = It is the magical expression of our deepest joy.
MAURO = In the meantime, between now and when you leave for the tour, you can always come here and meet the audience in our Reward Play.
IGNAZIO = Yes, but I don’t want to have that man who hurries everyone (he points to a man behind the scenes), if we come here, we start in the morning and finish in the evening.
MAURO = No, no, don’t worry, we’ll tie him up that day.
PIERO = But you have to redo Palermo (He refers to a summer event made by Radio Italia in a square in Palermo, with great success)
MANOLA = We will do it again, we hope.
MAURO = But surely, if it can be done, it will be done. In the meantime we are waiting for you here, if you come to visit us: Radio Italia live, so at least the friends who are here (audience) can see you sing live, do a kind of dress rehearsal.
PIERO = So let’s do the rehearsal (he shows the vinyl record) This is the new album, close-up on the album: Il Volo Sings Morricone, our new album.
MAURO = Thanks guys, thanks to everyone.
MANOLA = Thanks to IL VOLO.
G + P + I = Grazie mille, bye bye.
Nice interview, and how wonderful those two songs.
I’m sorry that you have waited a long time for this translation, but my PC started to throw a tantrum, several times I had to redo some pieces.
Meanwhile, our young men, tireless, continue the promotion of the CD, they have already been to Spain and Germany and now they will also do two instore, one in Milan and one in Rome.
Finally I am attaching this beautiful video that was published a few days ago, it is Piero who sings the AVE MARIA at his best friend’s wedding, in June of this year. Good viewing!
Everyone knows that Gianluca Ginoble is the most social of Il Volo.
But he doesn’t just post beautiful photos and videos, he never stops promoting his beautiful native region, to which he is very attached.
This time he was invited to L’Aquila (the capital city of Abruzzo) for the presentation of the GIRO D’ITALIA (the most important cycling race in Italy).
Here is his speech:
Host = We have here with us a pride from Abruzzo: Gianluca Ginoble.
Come here with us, a round of applause to this very young talent, thank you for being here.
We brought you into a context a little different from the one you frequent, but sport is still a context of discipline, of sacrifice, to achieve dreams.
You have achieved a dream, a huge dream to cultivate …
Gianluca = There is also one thing in common the symbol of infinity produced by the two wheels (he refers to the symbol of the Giro d’Italia drawn, in which the wheels of the bicycle form the symbol of infinity), which is a little like the Bel Canto, which is an eternal (infinite) music.
I must say that I am honored to be here, in the midst of so many champions, we also have a common friendship, which is the great Marino Bartoletti and that I care to greet him.
Host = He is a friend of ours, we give him a round of applause, because he will surely come back to visit us, he follows us, he loves Abruzzo.
Gianluca = It is a way, as I said, to promote this wonderful land, known all over the world, from the sea to the mountains, and it is certainly a message of hope, to return to live a normal life, with the organization of large events, such as concerts and the Giro d’Italia, return to see the streets full of people, and therefore I am truly honored to be here to represent my land, and I am very proud to be from Abruzzo.
Thanks, I’m really glad to meet you all.
Host = We thank you (applause).
We thank Gianluca who, among the many commitments, managed to have a little time for us.
I would also like to thank his dad, who helped us, he was our hook, we salute him, Ercole. He cares a lot, because it is a family matter to help Abruzzo.
You have been kissed by a gift, you guys are so talented (Il Volo) and you never forget Abruzzo.
What other projects are there? Can you tell us something?
In the music scene, which we remember at this moment is almost at a standstill, it is really difficult for them to go on, which in any case continue to produce, thus allowing musical operators to work. Then we also remember that at the beginning of the pandemic, Gianluca was the protagonist, together with other artists, of a fundraiser, dedicated to show business operators who, with their families, were stopped. Therefore a constant commitment in this sense.
What, what projects are there? Anticipate something.
Gianluca = I want to remember, since the mayor of L’Aquila is also here, that one of the most touching experiences of my life was to be able to interpret, a few days after the 2009 earthquake, we were participating in the program on RAI1 … …
Host = You were very young.
Gianluca = I was fourteen years old and that evening, live on RAI1, I was able to interpret Gounoud’s Ave Maria, and represent my land, even if for this sad cause, unfortunately, but for me, also a way to remember how proud I am to be from Abruzzo.
Now we are leaving again, we are making a great event in June at the Arena …. I shouldn’t say it, damn it, it escaped me …. (because this video was recorded before the official news, laughter of understanding from all), I only said Arena, I didn’t say where.
It is the hope of being able to start again, in two months, then.
It is a project that will be a tribute to the great master Morricone, we also had the opportunity to present him in Sanremo, as guests this year, singing “Once upon a time in the west”. It will be a collection of all the songs, the most beautiful soundtracks of the maestro, then a tour will start and then a record that will be released shortly.
Host = Ennio Morricone was also particularly close to this region, honorary citizen of the city of L’Aquila, and is still close in memory, last year there was a concert by his sons. I must also remember the beautiful performance of Il Volo in the “Perdonanza 2019”, in Collemaggio avenue there were at least 15 thousand people, at the time we could all be close.
Gianluca = But we’ll be back, mayor.
Host = It was a spectacular thing, with Pastore’s lights on the basilica, beautiful and you absolutely must go back.
Gianluca = Yes, definitely.
Host = Let’s have a round of applause and good luck.
Gianluca = Thanks.
Host = Thank you Gianluca from the heart, but really from the heart.
Our handsome baritone often cheers us up with his beautiful selfies, in which we delight in such beauty.
It is he who transmits his love for Luna to us!
He often shows us meetings with friends.
He gives us a glimpse of his house.
He is always the one who keeps us updated on his piano exercises, sending us small pieces of pop songs, truly remarkable.
He is always the first one who tells us about the movements of Il Volo, the last a few days ago, a trip to Turkey, but for what ??? Nothing has been published. Maybe a private event ??
Be careful and safe !!
And he is always the first to give official news, like this one:
#Repost @ gianginoble11 It will be exciting to return to perform, in this particular period, at the Verona Arena, which we are very fond of because, like us, it acts as a bridge between tradition and modernity.
Times remain difficult but it is an important step towards that extraordinary normality that we Italians need most.
We look forward to seeing you on 5 June at the Verona Arena.
See you soon!
Yeah, but he thought to give us only the good news, and to avoid telling us that the concerts scheduled at the Verona Arena for the end of August, are again postponed, for the second time !!
Damn, what a mess, I was hoping to see a concert this year. I still have the possibility of a tribute to Morricone, but they are already saying that it will be done anyway even if the public may not be admitted.
However, our government has said that from April 26, the reopening of the open-air theaters with limited audiences will begin, so there are still good hopes.
Fingers crossed!!
But now I want to give you a moment of rare sweetness, listen to this beautiful video of “MI MANCHERAI” (taken from the film Il Postino), recorded in September 2019 in St. Petersburg.
Yes, Gianluca, you are really full of energy.
Thanks to you, we often get news and photos that help us make certain bad days better
Thank you for always being so present, tireless Gianluca.
How do you begin to tell a story, more like a fairy tale, about three teenage boys who conquered the music industry?
They came from Italy from very different regions, very different families, very different backgrounds but, they had one thing in common, the ability to capture audiences with their amazingly, beautiful, voices.
Thinking back over the years, I realize they have put so much energy into such a short period of time. Twelve years of a lifetime but, in reality, they did it in five years! How is it possible that these three men could do, in such a short period of time, what most men cannot do in a lifetime? The secret is in the voices!
Going back to the beginning, I remember what Gianluca said, “I thought there were three hundred thousand boys singing like me, and instead that night I discovered that there are only two: Ignazio and Piero.” Of course, Gianluca was referring to the night they sang together for the first time onTi Lascio Una Canzone. So, let’s begin there!
When they came together as contestants on Ti Lasacio una Canzone, they never dreamt that they would walk off the stage as stars! Individually, they sang with some very famous Italian singers, Al Bano, Massimo Ranieri, Fausto Leali, Adamo, Piero Mazzoccheti and, they were singing their songs and these men were in absolute awe of these teenagers.
From the first note that came out of their mouths, everyone recognized how unique their voices were. Roberto Cenci the artistic director and director of Ti Lascio una Canzone recognized the importance of these three voices. He recognized that the voices were different but alike in their uniqueness. Cenci understood if you put the voices together, they will blend beautifully and, they will be very appealing. How right he was! An experiment that turned into stardom.
And how did Michele Torpedine put it?“The three casually put together to sing a song of the program possess an incredible vocality for their age.” Watching them on TV Michele is thinking these guys are good and again repeats it to himself, they’re good! He thinks, “What if I try to put them together seriously?” Michele and everyone else felt they were incredible!
But it needed much more than just a feeling and it went beyond incredible. It needed something to come to life. It needed a new idea. It needed to be different because they were different. So how do you make it different? Bel Canto!
Bel canto is Italian for “beautiful singing.” From the mid-18th century through the early 19th century, Italian opera developed what is now known as a bel canto style. Composers began to write long, sustained vocal lines intended to show off the beauty of the voice.
Well, that works! They certainly have beautiful voices!
If you start with the premise that bel canto can make the difference, then you need to find the best way to present it! First, have them sing all the Italian classics. If you look at the music industry at the time you have to say “it won’t work” but, it did. Why? It worked because their voices were unique, the presenters were teenagers, and the world was waiting for something different. The difference was they needed to go back to what was and present in a different light. A unique idea. A little risky for sure but, a lot of very talented people in the industry felt it could work. And it did!
Bel canto for sure! But those voices that embody bel canto needed to go beyond and so where do you go? In their concerts they sing beautiful arias because they have beautiful operatic voices but, they will tell you, they do not sing opera. So, they reinvented the idea of opera. Just as bel canto reinvented opera, so did they reinvent it with their Operatic Pop. Always light, free flowing, ethereal! They took away the rigidness and left the beauty of the words which they present in their special ways with their special voices!
A few days after I finished this article, Michele Torpedine appeared on the Marzia Roncacci show. During the interview Marzia surprised everyone with an appearance by Piero. She asked one very important question, that is the question I just presented. So, I would like you to hear it in Piero’s own words.
Marzia: Listen, Piero, and also Michele, how do you explain this great success of yours, of three young people, because you are now very well established, even abroad, it is not so easy, there are only a few who are known and, they can be counted on your fingertips.
Piero: Our success is the echo! It is the resonance of the music we sing. As Pavarotti did in the past, bel canto is the winning weapon. Bel canto is the most popular Italian music in the world, and it is nice to hear in any theater or arena in the world, even in Japan, when the public hear these melodies, written right here in Italy, they go into ecstasy. Our voices also contribute, it is clear, and to hear young people with these voices …. but it is clear that if we didn’t sing this kind of music, it would be much more difficult.
Piero is very modest! Their voices are very important. They brought bel canto back to life in a unique way! Bravo!
So, let’s move on! Where do you begin?
America!
Their first stop was Miami. It was like stepping into a dream for them. Everything in America was different from Italy. The streets, the houses, the cars, everything was different. But above all, they really could not comprehend all that was happening to them. After Miami they went to Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, they were invited to participant in the charity event “We Are the World 25 for Haiti”.
They took Los Angeles by storm. This is truly the beginning of IL VOLO!
By now, they were in a whirlwind!
Piero recalls, “We were fifteen and sixteen when we found ourselves in this American dream. We had signed a contract with a record company that includes famous artists like Beyonce and many others. We were invited by the record company to a party. We turned and saw, Quincy Jones; we turn around and we saw Rihanna; we turned and shook hands with Lady Gaga. We talked with them, some singers who were idols for us and for our peers.”
In fact, the guys only began to understand that something was changing when their first record came out. The boys had met all the big names and performed with them in We Are the World, but reality had not yet set in. Let’s hear what Ignazio had to say about this….
“It was already in May 2010 and the Il Volo album was about to come out all over the world. Maybe I was too small and naive, but I did not feel the anxiety of the job like today. The first major television show we appeared in, in America, was American Idol, the world’s most famous music talent show.”
And what a performance that was. They sang “ ‘O Sole Mio” and in that moment, they captured the hearts of thirty million people. Not to mention Ignazio giving five to Steven Tyler. But that’s another story!
During the last three episodes of American Idol’s tenth season, they performed and promoted their first album, Il Volo.The international edition of the album was released on April 12, 2011.
In its first week, the album reached the tenth spot of Billboard 200 and topped the Classical Albums chart. The album also entered the top ten in other countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, New Zealand and the Netherlands, and it peaked at number one on the Austria Albums Chart. It would later be certified platinum by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry.
Back in Italy, in their hometowns, the people were ecstatic. These three teenagers had achieved what only a few Italian artists had achieved, success in America!
By now, every program in America wanted them. The phone was ringing off the hook! They appeared on The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Early Show. There was no stopping them. The people of America had spoken and what they were calling for was, Il Volo. And slowly, the rest of the world also recognized their achievements.
The chatter began about these three teenagers with voices like “angels!” But what’s most important is what happened to the boys! These boys who came to America thinking, “who will know us there,” were now becoming a household name. And how did that happen, a little thing called PBS…
Next week we follow the guys to Detroit where they stepped on the stage at the Detroit Opera House and sealed their fate!
We continue to follow their footsteps Through the Fields of My Mind….
NOTE:I would like to thank Daniela for the wonderful translation of the interview with Michele and Piero. If you haven’t read it yet, go towww.ilvoloflightcrw.com to read it!
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
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